Extension and roof for silos.



L. S. NAFZIGER.

EXTENSION AND ROOF FOR SILOS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE17, 1013.

1 1 02,20 1 Patented June 30, 1914.

2 SHEETS SHEBTI @Hozncu L. S. NAFZIGER.

EXTENSION AND ROOF FOR SILOS.

APPLICATION FILED JUN217,1913.

1,102,201 Patented June 30,1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

qqh lf-ncooco i I I 61mm UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

LEO "S. NAIZIGER, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOIR. T0 SHEET METALSPECIALTY COMPANY, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

EXTENSION AND ROOF FOR SILOS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO S. NArzionn, a citizen of the United States,residmg at Goshen; in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensions and Roofs forSilos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for silos and particularly to acombined extension and roof.

It is a well known fact that after a silo has been filled, the ensilagewill settle from five to seven feet. As silos cost on an average of$5.00 per foot, the owner is investing from twenty-five to thirty-fivedollars in silo space which is really of no value. To overcome this somefarmers fasten poultry wire around the top of the silo to serve as atemporary retainer, and then fill to the top of the wire in order toinsure having a full silo after the ensilage has settled. Even thismakeshift is impossible in silos provided with the ordinary form ofroof. Furtherinore, the ordinary roof is in the way while the silo isbeing filled as it interferes with the operators who trample theensilage in order to pack it firmly. At the same time a roof is reallyneeded in order to exclude rain and snow from the silo.

The present invention has therefore been designed to obviate theobjectionable features of the various alternative structures now in use.

The object of the invention is to provide a structure adapted to besecured upon the upper end of a silo and which when in its expandedosition will serve as an extension for the $110 to enable it to containa sufficient amount of ensilage to allow for the inevitable settling,and which may be collapsed to form a roof or cover for the silo.

An important object is to provide a structure of'this character whichwill be rigid when in its expanded position so that there will be nodanger of the walls spreading under pressure of the ensilage, and whichwill have its joints so protected and formed as to prevent the entranceof water into the silo.

Other objects and advantages such as cheapness, simplicity, durability,etliciency and the general improvement of the art will Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented J 111143 30, 1914,

Application filed June 17, 1913.

Serial No. 774,201.

be fully brought out in the following specification and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the in vention applied to a silo andin its expanded position, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionalview therethrough, Fig 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, Fig.4 is a perspective view of the device showing portions in the expandedposition, and other .portions collapsed, and Fig. 5 is a perspecas bybolts or rivets 4. Each of the sections 3 comprises a horizontal portion5 ada ted to seat and be secured upon the rim of t 1e silo as by bolts,nails or spikes. From the horizontal portion 5 an inclined portion 6extends downwardly to serve as a watershed. The vertical portion 7 isformed integrally with the portion 5 and is adapted for connection withthe members to be described. At the points of union of the successivesections 3 angle braces 8 are secured for stren hening thestructure.

Hinge ly connected with the vertical portions 7 of the sections 3 as byhinges 9 are upstanding members 10 and 11 formed preferably of sheetmetal and in the shape of an isosceles triangle. Upon each side of themembers 10 are connected by means of hinges 12 similarbut invertedmembers 13 which occupy the spaces between the members 10 and 11. Inorder to form a perfect fit between these diiierent members, I provideflanges 14 adjacent each side edge of the members 11 which co-act asshown with flanges 15 formed on the adjacent edges of the members 13.The members 10 are provided with strips 16 which overlap the jointbetween the members 10 and 13. Flanges 17 are formed on the strips 16for a purpose to be described. In order to prevent the members 13 and 11from becoming disengaged and to prevent them from moving outwardly llprovide bars 18 pivoted as at 19- to be described. I

When the deviceis in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, it is adaptedfor use as an extension of the silo walls, so that sufficient materialmay be placed therein to allow for the subsequent settling. In thisposition the members 10 and 11 together with the members 13 arevertically disposed with the flanges 15 on the members 13 interlockedwith the flanges 14 on the members 11, and

the junctions of the members 10 and 13 covered by the strips 16. Whenensilage is placed within the device there will be considerable outwardpressure on the wall formed by the interlocked sector members. Bydisposing the bars 18 horizontally as shown in Fig. 1 wit-h the slots 20in engagement with the pins 21 it will be obvious that spreading of thewall sections will be efl'ectually prevented.

Tn order to adapt the device for useas a roof it is merely necessary toswing the bars 18 into a vertical position as shown at the left of Fig.4, whereupon the members 13 and 11 may be separated by disengaging theflanges 14: and 15. The members 13 may then be swung inwardly upon thehinges 12 and disposed radially of the device as shown at the left ofFig. 4. The members 11 and the members 10 carrying the members 13 may beswung downwardly until their edges meet and they are disposed in theform of a. cone, as shown in Figs. 4i and 5. The flanges 14 may then beinterlocked with the flanges 17 formed on the strips 16, thus making thejoints entirely protected. This joint obviates the danger of leakage ofwater into the silo and thus keeps the ensilage dry. After the membershave been swung inwardly and interlocked a cap 23 is placed at the apexof the resulting cone, and secured firmly in position as by means ofbolts or the like.

During the fermentation of the ensilage which naturally occursconsiderable gas is evolved which may be allowed to escape by removingthe cap 22.

While the members 10 are described as provided with strips 16 havingflanges 17 formed thereon it might be found expedient to "form theflanges integrally upon the side edges of the sections 10.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A combined extension and roof for silos comprising a ring securedupon the upper edge of a silo, a plurality of triangular membershingedly secured upon said ring,

other triangular members hingedly secured upon the edges of certain ofsaid first, named triangular members,flanges on the edges'of said firstnamedtriangular members, and flanges on the free edges of said'secondnamed triangular members, certain of said flanges being adapted tooverlap when the members are in thei expanded positions, and certain ofsaid flanges being adapted to, overlap when the members are in their001- lapsed positions for forming watertight joints. i

2. A combined extension and" silos comprising a ringsecured upon theupper end of a silo, a plurality of triangu-v 1ar membcrs hingedlyconnected with said ring, a pair of triangular members hingedly securedupon the edges of each alternate one of said first named members, meansfor interlocking said members when in their expanded positions and meansfor interlocking certain of said members when in their collapsedpositions for forming tight joints.

3. A combined. extension and roof for silos comprising a plurality oftriangular members hingedly secured upon the upper edge of a silo,outwardly and inwardly bent flanges formed on the side edges of eachalternate one of said members, a pair of triangular members hingedlyconnected with the side edges of each of the other alternate members,outwardly, inwardly then outwardly bent flanges on the side edges ofuponthe side edges of each of the other alternate members, flanges on theside edges or said last named members, and flanges on th tree edges ofsaid pairs of members, said first and second named flanges being adaptedto interlock when the device is in its collapsed position, and saidsecond and third named flanges being adapted to interlock when thedevice is in its expanded position.

5. A combined extension and roof for silos, comprising a plurality oftriangular members hingedly secured upon the upper edge of a silo,flanges on the side edges of each alternate one of said members, a pairof triangular members hingedly secured upon the side edges of each ofthe other alternate members, flanges on the side edges roof for rotllllli llZll of said last named members, flanges on the ing a closedstructure when the device is in 10 free edges of sald'pairs of members,said its collapsed position,

first and second named flanges being adapt- In testimony whereof Ihereto aflix my ed to interiock when the device is in its colsignaturein the presence of two witnesses. lapsed position, and said second andthird LEO NAFZIGER named flanges being adapted to interlock when thedevice isin its expanded position, \Vitnesses:

and a cap adapted to be secured upon the JONATHAN S. Yonnn, ends of saidfirst named members for form- N ELLIE ALBRIGHT.

